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Ex-Covid Official Sentenced for $1.8M Fraud Scheme

12/2/2025

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Story summary
  • Alister Thorby, a former Covid managed isolation service lead, was sentenced to two years and eight months for stealing over $1.8 million from two District Health Boards (DHBs) in New Zealand.
  • Thorby submitted fraudulent invoices for services from fake companies between October 2021 and June 2022.
  • Judge Bruce Northwood criticized him for exploiting government trust during a vulnerable time.
  • There is no evidence that the funds supported community resources.